HealthInsight – the
Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) serving
Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah – is working in each of its states to
better support primary care practices with resources and education to increase
behavioral health screenings.

With over 800 practices spread out over a large
geographic area, coordination is key. Throughout its network, HealthInsight has
increased collaboration with local, state and national partners such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Project ECHO™ (Extension for Community
Healthcare Outcomes) programs, and government mental health authorities.

The QIN-QIO also has worked to raise awareness about
the important role of primary care providers in the delivery of behavioral
health screenings and other behavioral health services, especially in rural
areas.

“Many Medicare beneficiaries feel more comfortable
receiving mental health services from their primary care providers versus going
to a community mental health center,” said Joan Gallegos, Project Manager at
HealthInsight. “It’s been helpful to link primary care providers with the
larger mental health services community to share resources and increase the
level of service available to beneficiaries.”

To better support care providers, HealthInsight
created a Practice
Intervention Toolkit, a step-by-step guide of best practices, screening
tools, and evidence-based strategies. They’ve also hosted a series of webinars for
practices across all four of their states. Moving forward, the QIN-QIO is
exploring ways to spread the word about the importance of screenings and the
serious nature of behavioral health.

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“It’s been helpful to link primary care providers with the larger mental health services community to share resources and increase the level of service available to beneficiaries.”

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“We’re looking for spokespersons for behavioral
health who can help get the message out in our states,” said Gallegos. “There’s
so much stigma around these issues. To take this work to the next level, we
need more education with the public about the impact and prevalence of
behavioral health and substance abuse.”